FamilyFarmed In The Field: A Seed-Saving Volunteer

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Chelsea Callahan, FamilyFarmed’s Program Assistant, visited Blackberry Farm in the Volunteer State of Tennessee last weekend. Located in rural Walland in the eastern part of the state — south of Knoxville and just north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park — this beautiful setting is best known for its world-class hotel and its famed culinary experiences.

But the sprawling estate, as the name suggests, is also home to a working farm. And Chelsea — a Good Food devotee who serves on the Board of Slow Food Chicago — found a new hero there, in John Coykendall, master gardener and seed saver.

As an active member of Seed Savers Exchange, he has preserved more than 500 varieties of near-extinct heirlooms. “Now there is a shining example of someone who has made it his life’s work to preserve biodiversity and grow Good Food for all!” Chelsea said. “I was completely inspired by him!”

To learn more about John, check out the documentary Deeply Rooted, which documents his life and work.

Ten Delicious Facts About Chicago Good Food

Family Farmed is proud of the blossoming Good Food movement in our hometown of Chicago, so we put together a list of 10 Delicious Facts about Good Food in the Windy City (click on the photo to read the article). We want our readers to know what's happening in your hometown, too! If you would like to contribute a column about your Good Food scene, please contact bob@familyfarmed.org

Good Food n. /güd/ /füd/

1. Delicious, healthy food, accessible to all, produced as close to home as possible by family farmers and producers who use sustainable, humane, and fair practices. 2. A fast-growing movement creating vast numbers of jobs and economic development by providing people with food that matches their values.